A Professional’s Perspective: Dr. Prasanthi Ganesa, MD
I was a freshman at Texas A&M, working on my goals towards becoming a doctor when one day I walked into a bone marrow registry drive on campus. After browsing the pamphlet on the table, I decided to sign up. I gave my information along with a cheek swab of my saliva and went on my way! Over the years, I continued to receive correspondence from the registry and I did my part by keeping them up to date on my current address and phone number.
I went onto medical school and did my residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Medical Oncology. I have been practicing as a medical oncologist in Fort Worth, Texas. I see patients with a variety of cancers and blood disorders and help them receive the best treatments possible.
Almost 20 years after I signed up in the bone marrow registry, I got a call on a random morning while I was seeing patients in my clinic. I had no idea that this call would change a little boy’s life as well as mine. The official on the phone from the registry told me that my bone marrow matched perfectly with a 5 year old little boy suffering from leukemia and asked me if I was willing to donate. He had already gone through several rounds of chemotherapy and still had leukemia. The only thing that could save his life at this point was a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor. His own family was not a perfect match. But, I was! My mind flashed to my own children - my younger son was the same age as that little boy needing my help. Of course, the answer was an immediate yes!
After going through initial screening labs to make sure I was healthy enough to donate, the date was set for my bone marrow harvest. I checked into the local hospital in the morning and met the team of nurses and doctors that would be taking care of me. I was put under general anesthesia by the anesthesiologist and then the transplant doctor aspirated about 500mL total of bone marrow from both iliac crests (hips). After waking up from anesthesia, I was discharged home that same evening. I was given pain medicines to be used as needed and was advised to avoid strenuous activity for a few weeks. I recovered within a few days and went back to work.
My bone marrow was then transported to the hospital where that little boy was being treated and within a few days he was transplanted with my bone marrow. A few years later, it was a pure delight to meet my bone marrow recipient and his family. I learned then that he had to undergo another bone marrow transplant to achieve final remission. I am happy to report that he continues to do well.
Courtesy of Dallas Morning News
Every three minutes, someone in the United States is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Seventy percent of all patients who need a transplant do not have a fully matched donor in their family. They rely on bone marrow registries to save their life. It is very important that we have as many people from all different ethnicities represented in the registry. People are most likely to match an adult donor of their own ethnic background. Currently, the chance of being matched ranges from about 20% to 80%, with the patients in the minority groups closer to the 20% mark. We have the power to change these numbers if we can empower and educate people to sign up to be part of the bone marrow donor registry.
I am so glad I got that phone call asking me to donate. I am honored and humbled that I had the opportunity to serve in this way and to help save a little boy’s life. If you sign up to be part of the registry, you could be next to get the same phone call.
